Mineral tailings from many metallurgical process comprise a mixture of slimes (usually clay, silt and other fine particles in aqueous suspension) and coarser material, the proportions being dictated by many parameters.
These tailings are generally pumped to a location to form a slimes dam in which the fine material remains in suspension for an inconveniently long time.
Thus, where it is necessary or desirable to achieve rapid dewatering of slimes tailings on placement so as to minimize air space requirements for stacking, accelerate time dependent settlements of the tailings stack, and accelerate the increase in shear strength of the slimes tailings placed, the characteristics of a slimes dam constitute a serious disadvantage. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of treating tailings which results in a substantial decrease in the time taken for the slimes to separate into water and fines with a low moisture content. This method makes it possible to reconstitute an ore body such as a sand dune by means of tailings placement.